Rebecca's Impact HepC

Today, I've learned more about Hep C as a virus. I've learned about the symptoms, although many times there aren't any, causes (such as sharing needles, mother to child, sex, etc), how it can be treated, and the severity of the disease. Some facts that really stuck out were the frequency of the disease and how unknown it is. In America, over 3 million people have HCV, but as many as 75% are unaware that they are infected. I have learned a lot about HIV in school, but HCV is 4 times more prevalent and I haven't heard about it before starting this project.I also watched Dr. Weiss' informational mock-interview with a patient. This allowed me to see how PCPs interact with affected patients. I can see what questions are asked (even from a psychological perspective). I was able to see how patients react to HCV treatments and how unsure they may be.I also understand why so much attention is now placed on educating people on Hep C. Although it is very common, especially in NYS, very few people know about it. There was a campaign in NYC recently that placed "C"s around the city and very few people knew that it was for Hep C awareness. I also know that the virus targets the liver and can cause cirrhosis and even death. There has been an explosion of possible treatments, although PCPs and patients know very little about them--this is where the app will be helpful, in the educational sense.Broadly, and as applicable to the app, I've learned what questions are usually asked, the importance of diagnosing and treating HCV and how important it is for patients and PCPs to communicate. I am now aware of the project's objectives, as written in the grant. The main goal of the project is to "create an innovative online portal that is contextualized and customized to patients living with HCV infections and PCPs in NYS;" "(1) improve access to quality health care to New Yorkers with HCV; (2) build the capacity of PCPs to screen, evaluate and treat patients with HCV infections and thereby expand the workforce; and (3) provide online guided navigation to patients with HCV." The project will achieve its goals through tele-monetoring and tracking of the online app.